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SX 5 string MM copy - growing on me


dincz
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[quote name='Horizontalste' timestamp='1409777691' post='2543365']
When you say for the equivalent do you mean it's coming from the US? (import duty)

There was a craze around these parts a few years back where loads of members bought sx jazzes & p's, they were quite decent apparently.
[/quote]

Sorry, I meant it's for sale here in CZ.

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[quote name='Horizontalste' timestamp='1409816790' post='2543535']
Got to be worth a try then, buy it & if you like it cool, if not sell it on. I don't know what the market is like there but I doubt you'd loose anything on it.
& it's a nice looking bass.
[/quote]

He included a pic of the receipt which shows he paid £275 for it 4 years ago. I can't find the 5 string new here but the 4 string version sells new for £140. I'd be surprised if the price difference between 4 and 5 string was so great so a little suspicious about the receipt.

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[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1409778653' post='2543378'] My local shop stocks SX - only tried the guitars, not basses, and they are very good for the money - even recommended one to a friend who bought one and has been very happy with it. [/quote]

Which shop is this, out of interest? :)

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[quote name='dincz' timestamp='1409819476' post='2543568']


He included a pic of the receipt which shows he paid £275 for it 4 years ago. I can't find the 5 string new here but the 4 string version sells new for £140. I'd be surprised if the price difference between 4 and 5 string was so great so a little suspicious about the receipt.
[/quote]

I wouldn't be too suspicious. He's kept it for four years so it's probably not a bad bass. I don't know how much things sell for there but here I wouldn't consider that to be a lot of money for what could be a useable five string.
Buy it I say :-)

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[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1409937917' post='2544866']
I'm sure it's just the lack of anything for scale, but it looks more like a toy in that photo than the Thumb in the Warwick thread :lol:
[/quote]
It does look like the body is too small for the neck doesn't it? I suspect it is smaller than my classic 5?

Ooh its like a Stingray 5 without the dodgy pickguard ;)
[URL=http://s997.photobucket.com/user/stingraypete/media/20130623_172731_zps46dbb2fd.jpg.html][IMG]http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af100/stingraypete/20130623_172731_zps46dbb2fd.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

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As the heading says, I bought it. In almost as new condition cosmetically except for one very small dent on the back bottom edge.

[url="http://s1070.photobucket.com/user/dincz/media/SX1_zpsa6ac122e.jpg.html"][/url]
[url="http://s1070.photobucket.com/user/dincz/media/SX2_zps2af07bfa.jpg.html"][/url]

Strings are pretty dead - to be remedied tomorrow. 3 band EQ but the mid control has no effect whatsoever. Decided to get it anyway and the preamp is a generic Chinese block of epoxy so not repairable.

[url="http://s1070.photobucket.com/user/dincz/media/SX4_zps160ef491.jpg.html"][/url]

However, it looks identical to a Chinese preamp on Ebay for £5.
[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-Band-EQ-Preamp-Circuit-For-Bass-Pickup-Active-/140772803001?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&hash=item20c6b681b9"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item20c6b681b9[/url]

I'm now wondering whether to replace it with the Ebay one or just wire it passive volume and tone to the output jack. I don't fiddle with the eq much and my preamp has a very good 4 band EQ section with 2 parametric mid controls. I've ordered the preamp anyway and will try both options.

Can't really say much about the sound until I get new strings on it, but I can say it's heavy :(

EDIT: Seems to have loads of output level. In fact it drives my BDI21 into previously unheard levels of dirt even with EQ set flat (although the mid EQ fault might be involved).

Edited by dincz
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Love my sx p bass bought from WHUFC on here a few years ago. a good ash body and ok neck although its now a bit of a trigger's broom: wizard pickup,gotoh hardware and cts pots.
Ive also added a mighty mite fender licenced neck and its really good and still has only cost me less than £200 in total

Suggest similar mods to your mm one would work really well

Edited by lonestar
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When I had a chance to try the SX at home I was a bit underwhelmed. The sound was kind of nondescript which I put down to the old strings, and when digging in even a bit there was really nasty distortion. I thought the level was too much for my preamp (in fact it was about 1.5V!) but it turns out the onboard preamp was clipping. Faulty or bad design?

Wired the volume pot direct to the output jack and it's now a different animal entirely. It's come alive - even with the old strings - and has a glorious barky (but not distorted) sound on open strings and low frets when played hard.

I've ordered what appears to be an identical 3 band preamp off Ebay, but it will have to be pretty impressive to tempt me away from the direct-wired passive sound. I was already thinking of selling it on before too long, but now it's really growing on me and I'm getting used to the tight string spacing.

Never having played a real Stingray, I don't know how it compares. Is "aggressive bark" how you'd describe the sound? And have any of you had a chance to compare them side-by-side?

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[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1410348051' post='2548355']
I wonder if it would be worth having a push/pull volume pot where you could bypass the internal preamp and switch it into passive mode direct to the output jack since you like the sound you're getting?
[/quote]

That might be worthwhile if the new preamp is any good. Otherwise passive with the EQ on my rack preamp should take care of things. It's got low and high shelving and 2 fully parametric mids.

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